Resident issues urgent plea after uncovering evidence of disturbing illegal activity: 'We need to identify the truck [and] this person'

A Louisville, Kentucky, resident shared disturbing poaching photos to r/Louisville, shocking commenters. About three weeks ago, a buck was shot with a crossbow in the Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve near the Louisville Nature Center. 

The post, titled "Illegal Deer Poaching in Nature Preserve," shared details of the event and expressed anger over the killing. The buck was killed on protected land in plain sight. 

"We need to identify the truck [and] this person," the OP said. "You can see from the pictures how close this happened to our homes."

They reported the incident to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, which is working to catch the poacher. As of now, he hasn't been found.

Unfortunately, poaching is more common than people might think. Last October, three people (two of them teenagers) conducted an extensive deer poaching scheme in Wisconsin, illegally shooting at deer without properly disposing of the carcasses.

This poses a big obstacle for wildlife conservationists who seek to preserve ecosystems. When animals are killed on protected land, it can disrupt these ecosystems and, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, threaten biodiversity. 

While this mostly applies to poaching when it's done en masse, that doesn't give the Louisville poacher a free pass. Using a crossbow in a residential area is inexcusable.

This commenter said it well: "Of course it's illegal to hunt in a nature preserve, but shooting a cross-bow in a residential area is beyond reckless."

Luckily, there are people all around the world who are committed to conserving wildlife and pushing back against poaching. One woman in Maine donated 326 acres to a forest conservation organization. In India, poaching has drastically decreased due to new conservation policies, boosting the local rhino population. 

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely 👍 Depends on the animal 🤔 No way 👎 Just let people do it for free 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

These are only two stories, but they, combined with the outraged comments on r/Louisville, show that people won't stand for poaching.

"Hunting in the park?" one commenter said. "This person going hunting in the zoo next?"

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.